73 Panchkula NH-has maximum black spots

Reality Check

‘’We hold monthly meetings in this regard and pass instructions to the MC and HUDA which have the responsibility to carry out the work. I will seek a report from them in the coming meeting as to how much work has been done..’’

Dr Garima Mittal, Deputy Commissioner

“We have sent a report of black spots on national highways and accident- prone areas in the town, where engineering changes are to be made in February followed by several reminders to the NHAI, Public Works Department, HUDA and Municipal Corporation. In their reply, they told us that they have started working on them and have floated various tenders.’’

Munish Sehgal, ACP (Traffic).

The civil hospital has seen no marked improvement since state Health Minister Anil Vij visited the Civil Hospital on July 14, 2015 directing the officers to improve the situation and submit the reported but till date the authorities have ignored the minister’s direction. The district police have identified seven accident black spots, all on national highways (NHs), where most of the fatalities took place. Not only dengue but positive cases of malaria have also been stated in the district with more than 60 cases of malaria reported. Stray dog menace still continues, writes DAILYPOST CORRESPONDENT Yuvraj Kaushal
Over 100 people are killed every year in accidents in Panchkula, if we go by the traffic police data of the last five years. Till June this year, 28 people had already died while 74 have been injured. As many as 96 people were killed while 152 were injured last year. Despite repeated recommendations by the traffic police to the Haryana Urban Development Authority and Municipal Corporation about accident-prone areas, nothing seems to be done by the authorities.

Delayed four-laning of NH-73 makes it death zone

The delay in construction of four-laning of the NH-73 between Panchkula-Yamunanagar had proved fatal for the public. The highway stretch between Panchkula and Raipur Rani has been converted into killer stretch. The increasing traffic inflow on the NH-73 stretch on Panchkula-Ramgarh-Barwala-Raipur Rani section has become death zone, especially for the pedestrians and the two wheeler riders.

Highways snuff out more lives, not arterial roads

Three national highways, Pinjore-Nalagarh, Panchkula-Barwala and Yamunanagar-Kalka-Shimla, in the district maybe ensuring a smooth inter-state drive for commuters, but it has become high heel for the local police. A majority of the accident deaths in Panchkula are reported from these highways only.

The district police have identified seven accident black spots, all on national highways (NHs), where most of the fatalities took place. In all, 62 persons died in these locations within a span of three years i.e. from 2013 to 2015. In February, the Panchkula police sent a report to the NHAI to make a few engineering changes to avoid accidents on these spots. However, little progress has been made in this regard.

“The NHAI told us that they have floated the tenders for cat’s eye and since, the work on four-laning of the highway is on, so changes cannot be made on that stretch at present,” said Traffic Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Munish Sehgal. The town, on the other hand, has witnessed a few accident deaths. However, seven accident-prone areas have been identified where most of the mishaps took place.

As per the data available with the traffic police, 28 people have been killed till April this year in road accidents. While 96 persons lost their lives in 2015 and 2014 each. Besides, scores of other commuters got injured in mishaps.

Panchkula traffic cops struggle to crack down on violators

Motorists continue to violate various traffic rules of the Motor Vehicle Act such as triple-riding, using cell phones while driving, jumping lights and over-speeding. The close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras have in Panchkula now been in a functional state. However, the youngsters continue to violate the rules with the authorities taking no strict action. Over the last one year, the traffic police have increased its presence on the roads, and also set up checking points on major roads but still inadequate manpower remains a drawback for the city cops.

With two national highways passing through Panchkula, with maximum road accidents in the recent past, the traffic police highlight that maximum traffic violations pertain to over-speeding of vehicles on highways and riding without helmets on city roads. The Panchkula-Barwala stretch on NH-73 and Panchkula-Kalka stretch on NH-22 have emerged as the killer stretches.

“On the highways, over-speeding is the most common, while in the city, maximum traffic violations are of riding two-wheelers without helmets.. Also e-challan system, which helps in automatic generation of challans has been started in the city with as many as 56 CCTV cameras which have been installed across the city on strategic locations’’ said Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Munish Sehgal

Crime rate drops in Panchkula, residents take credit for being alert

If the number of incidents reported and cases registered in the Panchkula is any indication, the crime rate in the district has decreased in comparison to last year. Panchkula had witnessed major robberies including the ones that took place at PC Jewellers and at banks in Sector 15 and 20, but no such incident has been reported this year till now.

While the cops attributed the decline to strong policing, residents claimed credit for being more vigilant. “I feel no department can succeed without the people’s participation. Almost 80 per cent of residents have put up security gates in their respective sectors, employed private guards, put up electronic alarm systems, close circuit television cameras and so on,” said S K Nayar, president of the Citizen’s Welfare Association, Panchkula.

‘’Comparatively the crime rate in our city is very low as compared to the other cities. Earlier snatching incidents were on the rise in Panchkula but if we see the situation of the city now, the crime rate has decreased. No one wants any kind of crime to be committed in their neighbourhood. We want to convey this message that police personnel are always available at public service’’ – ACP Mamta Sodha

Civil Hospital Panchkula cries for attention

Civil Hospital, Sector 6, Panchkula has totally been in a mess as the gynae OPD, labour room, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) along with the operation theatre which is a part of the old building of the hospital, has been in an unhygienic condition.

Most of the sensitive patients are admitted in all these wards and the patients should not face any health issues or infection but the same has been neglected by the hospital authorities and the health departments as patients admitted in these wards are facing problems as there is a electricity problem also in the hospital for the past many days..

Dr Veena Singh, PMO, General Hospital, Panchkula said, ‘’A special team has already been set up to follow the cleanliness and management in the hospital premises and wards. If still there is any such issue, we will take immediate action regarding that and soon it will be resolved.’’

7 cases of dengue and over 60 cases of malaria confirmed in district

After two back-to-back cases of dengue, seven more cases have come across the health department from which three cases are from Panchkula. However after being conducting awareness camps at different parts of the city for the past few months including sensitive zones, cases of dengue and malaria have started occurring before the season. Not only dengue but positive 60 cases of malaria have also been stated in the district.

Machines at hospital not in proper working condition

Machines are not in a proper working condition for the past some time, as the bone density machine which developed fault six years ago following which the Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij directed the Health Department authorities to get it maintained and repaired last year, is still under the process of repair and is not working and the patients have to spend Rs 1500 for the test outside the hospital against Rs 150 in hospital.

Last year on July 14, 2015, Anil Vij visited the Civil Hospital and marked inquiry on various issues and get the defects rectified but till date the authorities have not taken any step towards this problem.

Stray dog menace

The campaign for sterilisation of stray dogs, however, has been going on a regular basis as per the Municipal Corporation Panchkula, but the authorities are yet to find some other solution for this issue. With around 1800 stray dogs creating terror in the city, residents fear to venture out, especially during nights, as dog bite cases are on the rise here.

In the first six months of this year, stray dogs in Panchkula had bitten 1027 persons following 153 cases of the same in July. However the Panchkula Municipal Corporation could sterilise only 552 dogs in the past two years. Five persons including a two year old girl were bitten by a stray dog in this month. Also 11 persons were bitten by a rabid dog that died later and it was one of the major dog bite case at Sector 7 on July 20. According to the Municipal Corporation, 70 more dogs had been sterilized after the incident.

Municipal Corporation Panchkula and Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) have started a combine anti encroachment drive in the city. Following this drive, the MC and the HUDA officials have taken a strict view of the unauthorised mobile van towers and removed a few of them further giving notice to all such tower companies and owners.

This major joint operation was led by Lalit Siwach, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation along with Manish Lohan, Estate Officer, HUDA. The action was taken after the Residents Welfare Association submitted their complaint regarding this issue following which the drive was initiated in the city.